The Newest NBA Trend: Penny Pinching

Wait, what?

This was my reaction after hearing that Richard Jefferson had been traded to the Spurs.  The players he was traded for?  Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto.

Huh?

At first, it appeared the Spurs had swindled the Bucks out of a solid player, making them a rejuvenated force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.

But when the deal is looked at more closely, it is obvious why the Bucks made this trade.

It’s all about the Benjamins.

The contracts of Bowen and Oberto are non-guaranteed, which means the Bucks can get rid of them without a cap hit, if needed.  Thomas’ contract is in the last year, as would be the other two contracts if they are renewed.

In the 2010-2011 season, the Bucks will have cleared $15 million from their books.  The Bucks will save over $6 million by releasing Bowen and Oberto, giving them the opportunity to re-sign either Ramon Sessions or Charlie Villanueva (or possibly both) without going over the luxury tax limit.

Unfortunately, this trend is nothing new in the NBA.  Remember the Tyson Chandler for Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox confusion? The NBA might as well stand for “Nearly Broke Association.”

Of course, the owners aren’t actually close to being broke.  However, they are feeling the pinch in their pockets like everyone else, especially as the economy continues to struggle.  Because of this, many trades will continue to seem lopsided, starting with draft day.

In fact, many rumors of a cap dump by teams involving draft picks have been circulating around the Internet for days.

An example? Mike James, Etan Thomas, and the #5 draft pick for Larry Hughes.

Who in their right mind would make that deal?  A GM desperate to free cap room, that’s who.

That means buyers, such as the Knicks, Cavaliers, and Thunder, can take advantage of teams that are trying to dump salary.

As for the current buyer and seller tandem, the Bucks and Spurs, the deal involves risks for both teams, but mostly makes sense.

The Spurs acquire a talented player to team with their big three of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili.  However, they no longer have cap room in 2010 to go after the big-name free agents that will be available.

For the Bucks, they dump a massive amount of money.  That’s good.  However, the team clearly lacks talent, which in turn could cause a decrease in fan base.  That’s not going to help the money woes in Milwaukee, or the woes of the fans who have stayed with the Bucks through the hard times. 

The Bucks haven't made the playoffs since 2005, nor made it past the first round since 2000.  They just don't seem to be going anywhere, which can’t be said for the players around the league.

There may be some big new faces in new places next season.